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Area Police News: March 19, 2008

A Phoenicia man arrested on felony sex assault charges is in the Ulster County jail without bail as he awaits his time to appear before a grand jury. Ernest H. Fudge, 46, of 17 Station Road, Phoenicia, was charged with first-degree sexual abuse, a class D felony, after his arrest on March 4 by deputies from the Ulster County Sheriff‚Äôs Department.
Fudge allegedly held a female acquaintance prisoner at a Shandaken residence and repeatedly abused her sexually and physically. The woman, who was not identified, was taken by ambulance to Benedictine Hospital, where she was treated for her injuries and released. The arrest was made following a complaint from the alleged victim, who claimed that Fudge held her against her will for several hours and raped her and physically assaulted her.
Police say there was enough evidence to hold Fudge for the grand jury, which will hold a hearing early next month. Additional charges against Fudge are expected.
Fudge has had a few scrapes with the law in the past. The most severe was being convicted of armed robbery when he held up two gas stations and served time in state prison for the offenses. Fudge was also arrested recently twice in one day on drunk driving charges. He has also been charged in the past with providing alcohol to minors and endangering the welfare of a child.Joseph W. Fronckowiak, 33, of Andes was arrested by state police last week Wednesday on a bench warrant issued by the Town of Middletown Justice Court for allegedly issuing a bad check. Fronckowiak was arraigned in Middletown Justice Court and ordered to pay restitution in installments.
A Connecticut woman found herself in the Delaware County Jail last week Monday after she was stopped on state Route 10 in Hobart for a traffic violation. Following the traffic stop, state police say they charged Lisa A. Knipper, 41, with aggravated unlicensed operation after they determined that her license had been suspended in Connecticut. She was arraigned in Town of Stamford Justice Court and remanded to the county jail in lieu of $500 cash bail.Hannah Sherer, 24, of Walton was arrested last week Monday and issued traffic tickets charging her with driving with no insurance and no inspection sticker. Police say they stopped Sherer on state Route 10 in Delhi using a patrol car equipped with a license plate reader. Sherer is scheduled to appear in Town of Delhi Justice Court on April 9.Terryl D. Shafer, 40, of Stamford was arrested Friday by state police and charged with third-degree assault following an alleged fistfight with his landlord. Police say the landlord, who was not identified, was treated for his injures at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta. Shafer was issued an appearance ticket returnable in Village of Stamford Justice Court on April 8.
A Hobart resident faces drug and alcohol related charges after he was arrested Saturday by state police for an alleged traffic violation. State police say they charged Ricky D. Jones, 42, with DWI and fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana after they stopped his vehicle for having a loud exhaust. Police say they charged Jones with DWI when his blood alcohol content allegedly tested .10 percent. They additionally charged him with unlawful possession of marijuana when he was allegedly found to be in possession of six ounces of marijuana. Jones was issued appearance tickets returnable in Stamford Justice Court on April 8.
Two area men were arrested last week Tuesday by state police on drug-related charges after they showed up at the state police barracks in Dunraven to claim one of the men‚Äôs wallet. Police say they charged Jeremy Morris, 24, of Pine Hill with unlawful possession of marijuana and Joseph H. Gruosso, 25, of Roxbury with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance after they searched his car and allegedly found one Hydrocodone tablet in his car. Police say they also found a small bag of marijuana and a marijuana cigarette in Morris‚Äô vehicle. Both men were issued appearance tickets returnable in Middletown Justice Court.